Flue-cutter.



PATENTED JULY 9,'190'7.

B. J. ONEILL;

PLUE CUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY5,19oe.

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No. 359,574. PATENTD JULY 9, 1907.

B. J. oNEILL. PLUB GUTTER. APPLIOATIOI YILED JULY5,1906.

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, UNITED STATES BRYAN J. OlNEILL, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS.

FLUE-CUTTER.

No. 859,574. Specification of Letters Eatent. Patented July 9, 1907.

Application filed July 5, 1

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known rthat I, BRYAN Il. ONEILL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fluo-Cutters; and I dohereby declare thatthe following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the saine.

This invention pertains to improvements in fluecutters.

One of the objects of my present invention is to provide a fiue-cutterof simple design, of few parts and thoroughly eflicient in its work,coupled with the advantage of being low in cost.

Still another advantage of my improved flue-cutter is that there ispractically no machine work necessary in its production or in assemblingits parts.

A further object of the invention is to produce a fluecutter having nothreaded parts by which to draw it into the flue in order to carry thecutting member to its work.

A further object is to produce a flue-cutter of simple arrangementwhereby with light pressure from the hand of the operator it is made tofeed or draw into the flue and cause its cutting member to perform itsrequired work.

A still further object is to provide a peculiar construction in afine-cutter wherein friction rollers are employed, 4which in addition tothe cutting member, all of which bear upon the inner surface of thefiue, serve, by means of a peculiar form of wedge, to accomplish thesevering of said flue.

The invention further relates to certain details of construction andarrangement of parts to be clearly pointed out in the followingspecifications.

In the appended drawings forming a part of this application, Figure l isa longitudinal sectional elevation of my flue-cutter shown within aflue. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the device within a flue showing itscutting member at work. Fig. 3 is a top view of the device also shownwithin a flue. Fig. 4 s an interior view of the body of the device. Fig.5 is a view of the underside of a member which carries the cutter. Fig.6 is a transverse section of the body on line x x, Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is atransverse section of the body and cutter-carrying member on line y y,Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is an end view of a flue and a portion of the flue sheetshowing position and travel of a friction roller carried on thecutter-carrying member. Fig. 9 is a view of the underside of the body ofmy device showing a series of friction rollers positioned with theiraxes at an angle to the axis of said body.

This application is provided to take the place of my former one for afine-cutter, filed by me on the 11th day 1 906. Serial No.V 324,757.

of September, 1905, and bearing the Serial Number 277864 to beabandoned.

My improved cutter consists of two main portions. One of which is themain body indicated by the letter A within which is carried the secondportion Bprovided with the cutter C. The said body is preferably acasting of some 14 inches in length, whose form in cross section issubstantially half round, havinga groove at D `the sides of which areparallel, said groove extending from the extreme rear to substantiallythe middle of the 4length of said body to a point indicated at Ein thefigures, and in Figs. l and 2 the bottom of the groove is `shownprovided with an inclined surface indicated at` G extending from therear towards the front end of the device the forwardend of the inclineas shown at the point H being higher than at the extreme rear. At thesaid point H is an abrupt drop, as shown, from which a second inclineextends upward and forward as indicated at J, the same terminating atits highest point at the front end of the body as shown. These slantingsurfaces G and J are shown in the drawing as being of substantially thesame angle of inclination. This is not absolutely necessary to theproper working of the implement, as slight changes in said angles willmake no material difference. From the point E in said body the grooveinstead of being square as described extends forward in the form of a Vas clearly shown in Fig. 7, the purpose of which will be describedlater. Thus formed the body is adapted for insertion into a flue to besevered, there being a square member K at its extreme outer or forwardend, by which rotary motion may be imparted to it by the use of asuitable motor or even a hand wrench, the latter method having been usedsuccessfully.

In the underside of the body as shown in Fig. 9, I insert three frictionrollers, one of which indicated by L, is located just below the centeror axis of the body, its position being within the metal left below theupper forward end of the incline G before described this being clearlyshown in Figs. l and 2. The-two rollers indicated by M are positioned ateach side of the axis of the body as shown in Fig. 7, there beingsufficient stock at each side thereof for the formation of recesses topermit entrance of said rollers. It will be noted by reference to Figs.6 and 7 that the'body is now supported upon the three rollers describedwhen positioned within the flue. Thus constructed and arrangedA I placewithin the groove the member B hereinbefore referred to, whichl asstated, carries the cutter (l. This member is of rectangular crosssection, beneath and rearward of the .cutter and is designed to seatWithin the groove of the body. The member is undercut to correspondsubstantially to the incline ofthe body G as clearly shown, and whenlying at rest therein the rear end of the member lies at the extremebottom or rear end of the groove as shown in Fig. 1. Said member dropsfrom the undercut as shown and then has an upward slant substantiallyparallel with the incline J. The portion having this upward incline isan extension or arm B, the under portion of which is'in the form of a Vto correspond with the groove J described.

At the bottom of the member B, at the rear, is a boss N there being alsoa boss at O near the forward end, said bosses being so positioned thatthe cutter lies above and between them, said cutter andbosses beingrelatively stationary. The outer end of the nger or extension B isprovided with abend at right angles which carries a friction roller B2adapted to bear against the end of the iue within which the body is atwork, the side ol the body being cut away slightly to permit this rightangled bend with its roller to extend outside the body withoutinterfering therewith. However, it is to be understood that thearrangement may be such that the said extension can be elevated abovethe body and thus obviate the necessity of cutting out the side of thebody to accommodate said extension.

I have provided means-wherebythe member is pre.

vented leaving the body while being permitted to travel endwise withinthe groove. This is accom-y plished by forming a groove P in one `sideof the member-parallel with the incline G ofthe body A and pro viding aset screw 1)/ 1n the body A as shown inFig. 6, the end of whichenterssaid groove P. When it is desired to sever a flue the device is enteredinto said fi ue as shown in Fig. l, the parts A and B occupying thepositions shown relatively. As the device enters,

the friction roller B2 of the extension B/'engages the' end of the fiueand stops further entrance of the member while the body Acontinues'further into the flue beneath the now stationary memberB.Since the cut-k teris seated upon the incline of the body'it is evidentthat if the body'is pushed beneath it will be forced'to` rise since itcannot move in the direction of itslength. The rising or verticalmovement must result by reason of the inclines G and J described. Thebosses N and O serve to reduce friction between the member and the bodybut these are not absolutely necessary to the use of the device. Fig. 2illustrates the relative positions2 of the body and member D when theHue isbeing cut,

it being observed that the deeper the cutter enters itsf work the higherthe bosses travel upon the inclines.

These bosses, when the member B is at its highest point` where its Workis about completed, occupy positions just above the rollers L M asshown. However, the

arrangement may be such that the bosses may be-posi-v tioned above andbetween the rollers or may straddle= the same, that is, the rollers inthe latter instance being below or between the bosses, since this is notof great moment except that the pressure downward from the cutter mustbe properly distributed upon the rollers so the body will not teeter onthe latter.

It is to be remembered that at the time the body A isk being forcedbeneathy the member B, a rotary motion is imparted theretoby the meanshereinbefore stated so that the cutter C will describe a path'around theinterior surface of the flue. I have referred hereinbefore to thesaid-rollers L M as beingfpositioned withv their axes at an angle to theaxis of the body as shown in Fig. 9. This angle is such that by apressure on the body the rollers frictionally engage and grip the innersurface of the lue caused by the pressure of the cutter against the flueas it performs its work. The action of the cutter and the rollers istheoretically to enlarge the flue. This however, in practice isobviously not the case, but the intense pressure exerted in forcing thebody beneath the cutter causes the rollers to retain a firm grip asdescribed, and being inclined atan angle causes the body to be drawninto the flue in a spiral manner as though caused by a screw orthread-bar.

Iam fully aware in presenting the inclined rollers as a part of myinvention that other devices have been provided with them, but the usethereof in a fluecutter -I regard as new, since heretofore flue-cuttershave not been provided withthem making itnecessary to employ other andmore complicated means for feeding the critter' to the work. Thevertical-move- `ment of the cutter need be but substantially 1- of aninch, hence it will be seen that a long incline can be employed andgreatpower produced in raising the cutter, a long incline permittinggreater power than a shorter one of a steeper angle. In withdrawing thetool from the flue the body is grasped and pulled outward thuspermittingthe member B to lower into the groove D to itsoriginalrposition as shown in Fig. l, a finger pressureupon theextension of the part 5B causing this action. It is noted that theoperation is extremely simple and the act of insertion and withdrawingis almost instantaneous, there being no long thread-bars to be turned asin many devices of this class by which to lower the cutter into the bodyand consume time.

There are'but the two main portions A and B'in my improved flue-cutter;the cutter and the rollers being the only additional parts except thesmall stationary set screw hereinbefore described. By providing the'groove D with parallel sides, the member B being of rectangular form incross section, fits snugly therein and is turnedby the body as in awrench. The screw P is merely employed, as already stated, to hold themember within the vbody so that theparts cannot become detached and lostand no strain is put upon it in the operation of the implement at vanytime. The Agroove lin the forwardhalf of the body is in the form of a `Vas described, vthereby leaving plenty of stock for carrying the rollersL M described, the extension'B of the member B being also in V form asalso described to travel therein,the boss O traveling upon the bottomlof said groove. The extent of the travel of the-body beneath themember Bis only such that the critter is given its full amount of verticalmotion while being kept between therollers L M as already intimated.

The double-inclines G and .I cause both ends of the member-D to movealike sol that as it rises it is always horizontal therebyfeeding thecutter squarely to its work. By extending that portion of the part'Bwhich carries the roller, out to one side, when the cutter is uppermost,I am permitted to raise the body as high asi-necessary withoutinterfering with the flue above. The-roller, as will'be understood, isemployed for the purpose of gaging the distance between the end of theflue and the position where a flue is to be severed which is usually afixed distance. It is-usual to remove about 4 inches of the flue and inconsequence i incline G and J necessarily, since a single incline olthis the arm B ot the member is made substantially that length. However,it is not absiilritely necessary to depend upon this extension 'Bf sinceby holding the member B in a desired location by means ot the finger andforcing the body A beneath said member', the cutter may be carried toits work and by a single revolution oi the body the cutter will producea cut of a depth that will cause it to remain and travel therein withoutfurther attention, the cut then acting as the means for holding themember' B in a fixed position as regards longitudinal movement while atwork.

The groove in the body need not have the double corild extend from oneend to the other without the abruptA ol'iset H descr'bed. In this casethe roller L would be set rearward 'or' such incline thus showing that 1do not wish to limit myseltl to the particular constrriction andarrangement' ol parts shown and described.

Having described my invention I claim l. ln a ilue critter', thecombination with a body adapted to be inserted and rotated in a llue, ofihre-engaging rollers mounted upon one side ol' said body, inclined tothe axis of the flue and in planes approximately parallel to said axis,a cutting device upon the opposite side ot said body,

. and means whereby said roller-s in advancing said body autoiiiaticallyforce said device outward.

:2. A flue critter comprising a 'forwardly tapered body adapted to beadvanced and rotated within a Hue to be cut, inclined nue-engagingrollers mounted upon one side ot said body, and a cutting device mountedupon the opposite side ot' said body to rotate therewith and to slide,relatively in a longitudinal direction thereon.

A flue-critter cornpr'ising a longitudinally grooved bodyA tor entranceinto a flue to be cut, the groove having an inclined bottom extendinginward anddownward, from the oiitei' end of the body, a critter carryingmember carried upon such inclined bottom, the critter' therefor, thebody adapted to be drawn beneath the member to carry the cutter to itswork` and a series of friction rollers for drawing the body into theiiue beneath the said member.

4. A liuc cutter compi'ising a longitudinally shiftable body within atliie to be crit, there being inclined surfaces therein extending inwardand downward, a cutter carryingl member carried thereby adapted toreceive vertical motion by the shifting of said body there-beneath, acutter for 'the member for' severing the flue, friction rollers cari'iedin the body to engage the interior' surface of the flue, the same beinginclined at an angle to cause said body to draw into the tliie beneaththe member', the said rollers and the cutter acting together bypressureagainst the iliie to cause the advance of the body as described.

A flue-cut ,r comprising a body for entrance into the iliie. there beingan inwardly and downwardly inclined surface substantially as described,a cutter carr'ied by the latter for severing the flue, the inclinedsurface of the body when the latter is drawn into the tliie beneath themember' acting to raise the latter and to carry the cutter against andinto the metal of the iiue, and a series of rollers in the body for'engaging the inner surface of the flue, the axes of the rollers beinginclined at an angle to the axis of the body cai'i'ying them, whereby bythe pressure between the cutter and the roller the body is drawn intosaid i'liie in a spiral manner for the purpose explained.

(i. In a tine-cutter a body for entrance to a flue to be severed therebeing a groove therein extending longitudinally, pai't of said gr'oovehaving parallel sides as described and also having an inclined bottom, acutter carrying member carried within the groove upon the inclinedbottom, and partially of rectangular cross section to seat' within thegroove, to be turned by the body during its rotation as in a wrench, acutter for the member for flue severing purpose, and a series of rollerscarried by the body and inclined at an angle to the axis of the firiewhereby pressure impai'ted thereto diie to the critter' and the infclined gi'ooved surface of the body causes the body to be drawn into thetliie beneath the ciittei' carrying member in a spiral manner, the saidcritter-carrying-memberlturning with the body and having movement in adirection at right angle to and away from the axis ot the body diie tothe inclined surfaces when the body is drawn inward by the meansdescribed.

7. A flue-cutter comprising a body, a critter' carrying member seatedtherein said body adapted for longitudinal shitting movement thereunder,there being an extension of said member' for the purposes set foi'tli,and a series of frictional advancing rollers in the body, there being aninclined surface between the body and the member for the purposes setforth.

S. A flue-cutter comprising a body having a longitudinalgroove, therebeing an inclined bottom therefor, a series of frictional advancingrollers in said body for the prrr'- poses described, a cutter carryingmember seated within the groove upon the inclined bottom and removablysceiir'ed within said body.

9. A Hue-cutter comprising the body having frictioiral advancing rollersfor entrance intotlie tube to be severed, there being a longitudinalgroove in said body, the bottom thereof slanting downward towar'd theinner' end of the body for 'the purposes described, a member seatedtherein, a critter' cai'ried by said member', means for preventing themember' from leaving the body but permitting longitudinal movement ofthe body and member relatively, there being means on the member'` forengaging the tliie to be severed for the purposes set forth, the cuttercarrying 'member' adapted for movement ina direction vertical to theaxisof the body to bring its critter' against the flue, sricli movementresulting from the entrance of the body beneath the member'.

10. A flue-critter' comprising the body, ,a single longitudinal groovetherein deepened from its oriter' end toward its inner end, a critter'carrying member' seated in the groove andhaving a projection at one endfor contacting with the end of the ilue to be cut for the purposes setforth, and means between the opposite end of the member' and thebodypermitting movement of said inember' longitudinally while preventingseparation of the parts, the body adapted to shift beneath the member'to raise and lower it for the purposes explained.

11. A ihre-critter comprising a body, a critter' carrying member' seatedtherein, said body adapted when shifting in one direction beneath themember to carry the critter' to its work and when shifted in the otherdirection to permit the said critter to leave its work, means on thecutter' carrying member for' positioning the cutter' Vfor" work, and aseries of rollers on the body for carrying the latter' beneath thecritter' carrying member when the body is revolved on its axis.

12. A flue-cutter comprising a body, a cutter carrying member'seatedtliei'ein, the former shiftable beneath the latter' and forturning it within a ilue, said body adapted for' changing the positionof the cutter with r'elation to the work for the purposes described,means for positioning the cutter' for work, and rollers on the body anddisposed at an angle to the axis thereof as described for causing thebody to be di'awn into the fine when said body is revolved on its axis,the cutter' being positioned between two series of the rollers when atwork.

13. In a flue-cutter, a critter' carrying member, a body in which it isseated and carried, there being a longitudinal depression for receivingsaid carrier, said body adapted to revolve on its axis andsimultaneously enter beneath the critter member to cause the critter' toapproach its work and describe a circular' path within the iiue, meansfor positioning the critter' within the latter' at the point where saidflue is to be severed, the cutter carryslidable relation with the body,the latter causing it to raise and lower, and a series of rollerscarried in the body with their axes lying at an angle to the axis of thebody for drawing the latter' into the rie beneath the critter carryingmember'.

14. A flue-critter' comprising the body thereof, having a longitudinalgroove therein the bottom of which is pr'ovided with two inclines ofsubstantially the same angle `ing member' being of some considerablelength and havingv the saine extending inward and downward toward theinner end of the body, a cutter carrying member resting upon suchincline, and turned by the body in the rotation of the latter, a cuttercarried by the member in contact with the interior surface of the flueto cut the same during the rotary movement of said body, and a series ofinclined rollers for engaging the flue for drawing the body into saidflue beneath the member to gradually force the cutter into the metal forsevering the flue, and a gage for positioning the cutter with referenceto the end of the ilue, said gage extending horizontally away from thesaid cutter carrying member when the cutter is upper4 most, said gageforming part of the cutter carrying' membery and a friction rollercarried by said gage substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

BRYAN J. ONEILL.

Witnesses C. B. McDoUGAL, L. M. THUnLow.

